Psychological assessment interviews

Psychological assessment

interviews

Dr Debbie Hawker

www.resilientexpat.co.uk


• Psychometric tests can add useful information

• But they are best used in addition to a

psychological interview, which can help in

interpreting the test results

Rona et al. 2006 ‘there is no evidence to support the use of

formal pre-enlistment or pre-deployment

screening processes based upon psychometric

testing or profiling. This has been tried many

times and is not only ineffective, but has the

potential to exclude perfectly capable and

resilient candidates and provides false

reassurances that an individual will remain

resilient whatever they are exposed to’.

Gardner, 2015

‘To use [psychometric tests] solely as an

employment screening tool is inappropriate.

That is, they should not be used to reject a

person from mission membership’ (p.46 of

Healthy, resilient and effective in cross-cultural ministry)

United Kingdom Psychological

Trauma Society

‘There is no reliable evidence to support the use

of any formal pre-enlistment screening

processes based upon psychometric testing or

profiling’


• Be clear about what you want to achieve, and

then look for the best method

• E.g. are you trying to screen out people with

psychological problems? Or assess personality

and identify where this person fits best? Or find

out what the candidate needs in order to thrive?

Resilience profile

• E.g. if you want to assess resilience, InterHealth

has established a questionnaire to look at some

of the core aspects of resilience

• This is followed up by an interview to discuss

the responses. The questionnaire is best with the

interview, not in isolation. Can achieve the same

in interview alone but would need more clinical

time

Before psyc interview

I ask for job description, CV/ application form and any

other relevant information

Also use references (with ratings? Phone referees?)

Simulations?

Extended observation at training?

Psyc interview (e.g. 3 hrs?)

Introduce interview as a chance for both the

interviewer and the candidate to judge whether

this seems to be a good fit, and to discuss what

will help them thrive

Psychological interview usually

covers:

• Childhood

• Education & previous jobs

• Experience overseas

• Resilience (including support)

• Is this a good time to go? What is their motivation?

• A ‘sense of call’ and a strong faith can help sustain people in difficult times – assess

• Personality and adaptability

• Experience on teams


• Any psychological difficulties

• Appetite, energy level, sleep, concentration, patience/

tolerance, irritability?

• Family psychiatric history (be aware of genetic risks)

• Any particular routines, eating habits (e.g. vegetarian),

practices (e.g. exercise) which might be difficult to

maintain on the placement? How will they cope with

that?

• Vulnerabilities

Helpful matters to raise: • Deployments are stressful

• How is their ‘stress capacity’ at the moment?

• What stress are they under? (Finances, health of self and family, relationships etc.)

• What are they likely to find stressful?

• What has been their most stressful experience? What effect did it have on them?

• What are their long-term plans?

• Work-life balance

Helpful matters to raise: How they feel about the organisation/ policies/ guidelines?

Expectations (environment, security, task, culture, conditions, language etc.)

Who will they tell if things are difficult?

Helpful matters to raise:

• ‘What else do you think we should know? Is

there anything important that you haven’t told us

yet?’

• ‘Do you have any questions or concerns?’

Self-selection

• Some people withdraw or delay their application

after this discussion

• Others might agree to try a short-term, team

placement first

The value of psyc interview

• Can cover wide range of issues; take long time

on what is relevant and little time on issues not

relevant; tailor to the individual and the

situation they are anticipating going to

• Allows for recommendations, not just yes/ no

• Can discuss in detail psychological history/ risk

factors

Psyc interview AT HIGH RISK:

• Previous psychosis;

• Current psychological disorder unless stable

(on medication?) and not symptomatic;

• Previous PTSD if going to traumatic

environment

POSSIBLE RISK

Close relative had psychosis (genetic element

& psychosis can be triggered by stress)


HIGH RISK IF DURING PAST YEAR:

Deliberate self-harm; suicide attempt; eating disorder; drug or alcohol problem

CHRONIC FATIGUE SYNDROME

High risk if lengthy bed-rest, unless years ago

HIGH RISK IF IN LAST 6 MONTHS

Serious loss or stress which is having detrimental effect on their health or ability to function.

If current psychological problem

• E.g. depression, anxiety disorder, eating disorder,

self-harm, addiction, or a serious problem with

stress e.g. ‘burnout’

• We recommend they have treatment. Then they

are welcome to reapply.

Children

• Need also to consider the needs of children

• E.g. do they have special needs or a

psychological issue which can’t be adequately

catered for?

Reassignments

• Just because someone has served one term does

not prove that they are well for the next term

• Cumulative stress can have a negative effect

• People are most at risk of psychological

difficulties during first assignment OR if they

have had 5 or more assignments (Lopes Cardozo

& Salama, 2002; Mitchell, 1988).

Equality act 2010 • Need to avoid discrimination

• Questions about health/ disability should not be asked before the person is (conditionally) accepted

• Therefore, psychological assessments should only be given after a (conditional) offer.

Equality Act

At that stage, you could make sure that someone’s health or disability would not prevent them from doing the job.

But you must consider whether there are reasonable adjustments that would enable them to do the job.

Recommended for long-termers after

they are (conditionally) accepted

• Psychological interview with mental health professional

with knowledge about mission work overseas

• In addition to physical assessment

• To assess whether they are fit to do the job & make

recommendations about any adjustments or support

they might need

Assessors look out for • Mood – does the person appear withdrawn/

depressed?

• Does weight look excessively low? (Do they use baggy clothes to disguise weight?)

• Excessive anxiety

• Signs of self-harm (e.g. cuts)

• Signs of alcoholism/ addiction

• Complaints about the application procedure etc

• How do they relate to other people?

For short-termers, a questionnaire

• E.g. from InterHealth

• Asks about any current or past psychological problems; medication; counselling; current weight etc

• If the responses raise concern, book a psychological assessment interview

If history of depression/ eating

disorder etc

• Any remaining symptoms?

• When did you last have symptoms?

• Which symptoms did you have? (E.g. suicidal thoughts? Sleeping problems?) - severity

• How much time off work/ study?

• Admitted to hospital?

• On medication?

• Could also ask: What have they learned? What are their vulnerability areas and how do they respond? Triggers? Needs?

Do people tell the truth?

• Not always

• It helps if you state that the procedure is

intended to be in their best interests

• Asking specific questions is more likely to reveal

truth than general questions

• Body language can help indicate how truthful

they are being

Informed consent • Ask them to sign a form giving consent for a

report to be written

• They sign agreement to give honest answers and

give consent for you to check with GP, employer

or others

• Send them the report to check before sending to

agency; seek consent again

• Minimum number of people should see this

sensitive report and it should be carefully stored

What if consent for some info is

withheld?

• Assessor can discuss reasons with the candidate

• Assessor can state whether or not the person is

recommended and say that consent has not been

given to pass on all the relevant information

How to respond to report • Can you make reasonable adjustments and accept them

without putting them at high risk? (E.g. putting them in a very supportive team in a location where there is good access to psychological/ medical support if needed; or part-time work)?

• Or is it a ‘safety critical issue’ e.g. anorexia without the margin to cope with illness; depression which might be increased by stress so they become suicidal; taking lithium and nowhere to get the necessary blood tests

• Make sure insurance will cover for any existing illness

How to respond to report • Can contact the assessor to discuss. Whether or not the

person can go sometimes depends on what you can offer overseas (e.g. a mentor, or doctor)

• If counselling is recommended – how to tell when there has been enough? Need recommendation from the counsellor?

Depression

• Varies from mild to very severe, including post-

natal depression, psychotic depression and bi-

polar disorder

• The likelihood of relapse is much less if one

mild depression than recurrent, severe

depression

• Psychotic depression is more concerning

If you don’t accept someone

• It’s good if you can lead them to withdraw application themselves, realising it’s not a good idea

• Be careful in what you say

• People can feel rejected

• Do you make any recommendation (e.g. counselling?)

• If you had to defend your decision in court, could you give a reason which does not sound like discrimination?

Don’t have to exclude everyone who

has past problems/ risk

• Foyle found that missionaries who had

recovered from depression did better than those

who had never been depressed, if they had

learned to identify their weaknesses and how to

look after themselves

• Foyle was not recommended, but served for 60+

years!

• Jesus took a risk with his followers! God used a

murderer, a prostitute...

There is no exact science in this

What level of risk are you willing to take? (What is

the worst that might happen? Have to evacuate

them out? Team chaos? Suicide? Loss of faith?

Loss of your reputation? Loss of time &

money?)

How much support can you provide?

Documents

Psychological assessment interviews